AR (Augmented Reality) is pegged as the next big thing in the consumer tech space. Although we have been hearing this for a long while, the tech has still not caught up to the level of its hype.

Microsoft was the first major company to introduce an AR headset (HoloLens). However, it is primarily sold to enterprises rather than end consumers.

AR in the consumer space is anticipated to get a boost with the release of Apple Vision Pro in the coming months. Though the product seems impressive, it is out of reach for most people and has some serious issues.

This is where companies like Xreal (formerly Nreal) and Rokid come into play. They have been selling affordable AR glasses for quite a while now.

These products are not as grandeur as Apple’s Vision Pro and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2.  But they allow people to experience augmented reality at a much affordable price.

Both these Chinese brands launched their newest offerings this year — Rokid Max and Xreal Air 2 series.

Our Chinese team reviewed the Rokid Max when it was announced initially. These glasses have now reached the Indian shores through Aytexcel Pvt Ltd.

Having used the Rokid Max for the last few days in India, here’s what I think about it.

My experience with Rokid Max in India

Build Quality

The body of the Rokid Max AR glasses is entirely made of good-quality plastic. It feels sturdy and can withstand drops.

It comes in a dark blue color which the company officially calls ‘Space Blue.’ Thanks to its lightness (75g), it is pleasant to wear for longer sessions.

The temples are quite flexible, and therefore the glasses can be worn by people with varying sizes of heads. However, the hinges could have been tighter.

It is easy to keep the glasses’ body free of smudges due to its matte finish. The volume and brightness buttons are tactile and the USB Type-C port is cleverly placed at the end of a temple tip.

The diopter adjustment knobs are placed above each lens. Whereas, the directional speakers are placed below the temples on either side. Lastly, the glasses use rubber nose pads that are comfortable.

Viewing Experience

The Rokid Max features micro OLED displays for each eye. These screens offer a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (FHD), a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 600 nits peak brightness level.

Together the two panels output a 215-inch screen. The displays are complemented by two directional speakers on either temple of the glasses.

Just like it sounds, the Rokid Max is a personal giant screen that fits in your pocket. You can use it anywhere if you don’t mind looking goofy with giant glasses on.

The display output is sharp and gets plenty bright. You can get a full theatre experience by using the glasses in a dark environment or with the blackout cover.

The built-in speakers are surprisingly good. But I would recommend a good pair of earphones for an immersive experience.

I mostly used the product to watch movies and YouTube in my bed before going to sleep. I even tried it inside a car on a road trip. It was fine during the early hours when the sun was about to come out. But after that, I had to rely on the blackout cover.

The glasses offer support for 360 and 3D videos. However, the implementation is poor as the field of view is limited to 50°. The content is pixelated and misaligned.

Accessories

The Rokid Max ships with a USB C to C cable, an extra pair of nose pads, and a very good-quality carrying case.  

Apart from the in-box content, buyers can opt for an optional accessory called  ‘Rokid Station’, which is a portable Android TV streaming device.

This device is also sold as a bundle alongside the glasses as ‘Rokid AR Joy’, and unfortunately that’s the only option available in India. You cannot buy the AR glasses separately.

Also, none of the other Rokid accessories are sold officially in India. These include the Rokid Hub, HDMI to USB-C adapter, anti-slip strap, lens inserts, and USB Type-C cable.

Thus, you will have to either import them or rely on alternatives that may or may not be compatible, especially adapters and cables, as per user reviews on Reddit.

Accessibility

The best thing about Rokid Max is the inclusion of diopter adjustment dials (0.00D to -6.00D). Therefore, myopic users like me can enjoy the product without any issues.

Further, the volume and brightness keys are conveniently placed below the right temple. Similarly, the USB Type-C port at the end of the left temple allows the cable to run behind the ear.

You get two different-sized nose pads so that the glasses can sit on the faces of more people. The temples are also quite flexible to accommodate different-sized heads.

However, in India, compatibility is an issue. Most smartphones sold in the country cannot be used with the glasses as they lack the USB 3 port for video out.

Generally, the glasses are only compatible with Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Z, and Galaxy Tab S  series phones/tablets in India, in addition to select devices from other brands. They can be also used with the iPhone 15 lineup, thanks to the inclusion of a USB Type-C port.

But the Rokid AR app is only available on Android. Hence, I used the glasses mostly with a Xiaomi Pad 6 apart from an iPhone 15. I didn’t feel like working with them so did not use them much with a Windows laptop (Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon).

I would have used it with my Xbox Series S for gaming if I had access to a compatible adapter.

Pricing

The Rokid Max is an affordable way to experience AR (Augmented Reality). Unfortunately, this statement does not apply to the product in India.

Globally, the glasses alone cost only $399 (~₹33,175) without offers, while the bundle with the streaming device retails at $499 (~₹41,490).

However, in India, the glasses are not sold separately. It only comes in the aforementioned bundle called Rokid AR Joy Pack priced at a whopping ₹89,999 (~$1,080).

The product is really good at its original price. But at more than double the price in India, it’s hard to recommend here in the country and you don’t get access to official accessories.

Sadly, there are no other alternatives either as it is the only such product in India. On a positive note, at least people who can afford can get a pair of AR glasses in India.

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The post I tried Rokid Max AR Glasses in India appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Chinese technology company Rokid is giving a huge discount on the Rokid Max AR glasses. The smart glass which generally retails for $599 is now available at a heavily discounted price of $439 only on the official website.

Rokid Max is a remarkable AR glass that offers visuals equivalent to viewing a 215-inch screen from a distance of approximately 6 meters. It boasts a 1080P FHD Micro-OLED display, that delivers stunning clarity and detail. The impressive 120 Hz refresh rate ensures a smooth and vibrant display, bringing your AR content to life with fluid motion and responsiveness. 

Whether you’re exploring virtual worlds or engaging in interactive experiences, the Rokid Max AR glasses provide a visually immersive journey that is sure to captivate your senses. What sets it apart from other AR glasses available in the market are its exceptional speakers and the ability to adjust diopters, catering to individuals with near-sightedness.

Rokid Max AR glasses feature a perceived brightness of up to 600 Nits. This exceptional brightness level ensures vivid and vibrant visuals, bringing your augmented reality experiences to life with stunning clarity. The display of the Rokid Max is certified by TÜV Rheinland for low blue light emissions, flicker-free performance, and optimal eye comfort. With these certifications, you can enjoy extended usage without straining your eyes or experiencing discomfort. 

The device ensures enhanced privacy and seamless entertainment. These cutting-edge glasses are designed to reduce forward light leakage by an impressive 90%, ensuring that your AR experiences remain private and uninterrupted. With HDCP support, casting movies and TV shows onto your glasses becomes a hassle-free experience. Enjoy your favorite content with ease, immersing yourself in a personal viewing experience that’s exclusive to you. With the Rokid Max AR glasses, privacy, and entertainment seamlessly come together, providing you with a truly immersive and enjoyable AR journey.

The AR glasses also offer the incredible feature of 2D/3D free switching, allowing you to effortlessly switch between 2D and 3D modes. With this capability, you can watch 3D movies wherever you like, immersing yourself in a captivating three-dimensional viewing experience. Whether you’re at home, on the go, or in a virtual environment, the Rokid Max AR glasses provide the flexibility to enjoy 3D content with convenience and ease.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers, check out our deals hub.

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ROKID Max AR Glasses

We rarely look seriously at AR products, since we have had a few concerns about such products before. For example, it may seem useless or inconvenient in reality. But we did experience quite a lot of AR glasses, most of which didn’t impress us enough to make a review video and share it with you guys. But today, we’re quite happy that we finally got to experience an available product of AR glasses that can be a part of your must-have gear in reality, but also gives you a glimpse into the future of AR. It’s the Rokid Max AR Glasses.

Design & built

Start from its design. Since the Rokid Max’s most basic role is to act as a wearable portable display anytime and anywhere, it really looks and weighs like sunglasses. I’m not exaggerating, the whole body weighs only 75g and the lens module is pretty thin. Regarding futuristic and habitual aesthetics, the Max are the best-designed AR glasses I’ve ever seen.

It comes with a Birdbath Optical module with Micro-Oled lenses, providing 1080P resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. Due to the loss of brightness on the way to optical reflection, the module provides a max brightness of 5000 nits and still achieves a decent in-eye brightness of 600 nits, even brighter than some latest smartphones.

So in actual use, unless you’re staring into the sun with the Max, you’ll still have no problem using it outdoors even without the blackout mask. And if you want to concentrate on watching a film and have the most immersive experience, this included mask is definitely the perfect companion.

For a truly immersive experience, a great point is that the Max has a field of view of 50°, while most other AR devices would offer about a FOV of 40°, which might be a bit narrow for most people and feels like sitting in the back row of the cinema. But 50° is kind of a proper viewing angle that helps me capture great image detail and maintain a good focus. Visually, the effect is pretty close to a 215-inch borderless TV placed 6 meters away.

On the leg, you can see a 6-level brightness button and 2 volume buttons. The physical buttons are all the operations you can have on the glasses, including switching between 2D and 3D modes with the brightness button. The Rokid Max supports wearing detection, which could automatically turn off to save power for the connected devices. There’s no built-in battery on the Rokid Max, so it does more like a monitor that requires a continuous power supply from the connected device.

With dual Hi-Res directional speakers, the Max offers one of the best and loudest sounds that I’ve ever heard with AR glasses.

As you can see, I have myopia. Many AR glasses are not friendly enough for myopic people. Either they require me to have new customized lenses or wear contact lenses to use them. But with the Rokid Max, you got the knobs here to adjust the diopter for each eye respectively and simulate the sharpest image you can see. It’s just so impressive! I confess, now I take it with me wherever I go, even when I lay down to rest, though, it might look a bit wield. The nosepiece here is replaceable and adjustable. There’s an extra nosepiece included in the package. I have to say it’s really comfortable to wear and didn’t cause dizziness even after long-time use.

Casting Compatibility

Now let’s talk about what video sources you can connect with the Rokid Max. Theoretically, you can cast any device’s displays to the Max via a wired or wireless connection. The included ultra-thin USB-C cable is a surprise. It’s the thinnest cable I’ve ever used for DP connection, which doesn’t affect our wearing comfort at all. Phones are definitely the best companions. Most smartphones and tablets supporting DP video output can be connected in casting and AR modes. And most gaming consoles with DP output also can be connected via USB-C cable.

Scenarios

For example, to get the best dock mode on Nintendo Switch, you can attach this Rokid Hub to the switch first and then connect it to the Rokid Max and power supply. So there are no more worries about draining power out from the Switch, all you need is simply just a power bank or an adaptor to plug it into the wall. To be honest, the Rokid Max is the only monitor that allows me to play Switch games in such a relaxing way. And what we see on the AR glasses is really no different from what we see on a huge TV. When you attach the blackout mask, you would only see the game in your sight without any distractions, so it’s time to really enjoy gaming.

My favorite scenario is to use it as a portable screen for my Windows tablet. Just connect it with the Rokid Max via the included cable, and the casting images at 1080p 120Hz will directly show on the glasses without perceivable latency. No longer staring at a fixed screen, relax your stiff body, and get to work or enjoy gaming in the most comfortable ways.

If your device doesn’t have a USB-C port supporting DP output, and you’re just tired of switching cables between devices, you can also find a wireless casting base that helps you realize wireless casting regardless of platforms. While Rokid officially has developed a computing station for Rokid Max, which would complete the capacity of the Max to work without phones as fully-functional AI Glasses. What for sure now is that it’s gonna feature some TV features and AR applications, and support wireless casting with low latency. The Rokid team told us that a global version of that Rokid Station would be launched soon. Without a doubt, this is probably the accessory I’m most looking forward to.

Rokid App & AR mode

In simple terms, AR offers a combination between real-world and virtual information and interaction. It means that virtual information including data, applications, and images, is overlayed on the real world you perceive.

You can access the AR mode in the Rokid app, which offers quite a few AR games and applications that are adapted to the Rokid Max, and turn your phone into a remote as a pointing cursor. In AR mode, it offers quite a few AR games and applications that are adapted to the Rokid Max. In addition, here you can access the quick apps which are used a lot with the AR glasses, such as YouTube and Twitch.

When activating 3Dof in AR mode, you will have 3 degrees of freedom tracking, which means you can adjust the content in three axes of freedom, front to back, left to right and top to bottom. Then just turn your head to break the edges of the display.

There’s one more interesting detail. The glasses also support SBS and 3D modes. By pressing the brightness button for a few seconds, the SBS mode would stretch 1080p horizontally to achieve a 3D effect for the 3D contents.

Verdict

Of course, the reason I really appreciate it is that I really need a big display that I can use anywhere and anytime. As one of the most portable screens out there, it’s an almost perfect replacement for a physical screen with a considerable size. It does away with the bulky physical size and replaces it with an eyewear form that you can actually carry around with you.

The 1080p and 120Hz visuals are even better than those of the big guys, while the 600nit in-eye brightness even matches your phone’s brightness. And if need more focus, put the mask on it and you won’t have to worry about a lack of brightness outdoors. You can connect it to your phone or computer anywhere, anytime, and take good care of your work on the go; watch a movie while protecting your privacy. When not in use, at 75g it’s just an ordinary pair of glasses.

So hope you feel the excitement we had with the Rokid Max. If you are interested in AR glasses, you can click the link here to check out more information about this portable huge screen.

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